


Every Family Has Their Christmas Traditions

by kimmins



Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV 2016)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-20 04:28:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13139067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimmins/pseuds/kimmins
Summary: Their first Christmas after they escape Blackwing marks the beginning of their very unique Christmas traditions.





	1. That First Christmas

 

Less than fifteen years ago…

 

“Are we gonna have Christmas?”

 

The question had Martin and the other’s stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. As a unit they turned to face the small voice that had spoken up. A few feet behind them stood the youngest member of their little group. 

 

Vogel had stopped short in front of a window display, his backpack lay at his feet forgotten as he pressed his hands into the glass. He looked back at his family, a wistful expression on his face. “I don’t remember a lot but I remember Christmas.”

 

The tone of his voice made something twinge in Martin’s chest and filled the air with the scent of sadness. As he walked back over to his youngest brother he could sense Gripps and Cross right behind him. Both of them equally distressed by the kid’s emotional state. 

 

When he reached Vogel he looked at the window to see what had sparked his question. It was simple tree made up in bright colored ornaments and twinkling lights. There was a mound of wrapped boxes under the tree. And around all of that was one of those electric trains, just like Martin had as a boy. 

 

A wave of nostalgia hit him and he had to swallow around a sudden lump in his throat. Blackwing had scraped away his past and left nothing but survival and pain. He stared at his reflection for a second before catching sight of Gripps and Cross in the glass. They both had the same haunted looks on their faces as he did.

 

All four of them had lost a life, a family, when Blackwing took them in. Whether it was by choice or by force, they’d all ended up the same way. But now they were free. They were together. And they were family. Closer to each other than any blood ties could make them. 

 

And looking down at Vogel, his head tipped up to look up at his big brother, Martin thought to himself  _ Maybe it's time we made some good memories. As a family. _

 

He looked back at Gripps and Cross looking for confirmation of his feelings. Being so close meant there wasn’t a need for words all that often. Especially when they were all feeling the same way. With nods from them both, Martin put his hand on Vogel’s head, ruffled his hair and said. “We’ll see what we can do kid.” 

 

The smile he got in return was bright and beaming. He let out a grunt as Vogel spun around and hugged him with all his might. His tiny face buried in Martin’s stomach as he chanted “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

 

It wouldn’t be easy on the run like they were, but he was sure the three of them would try their hardest to make Christmas happen for their brother. He’d seen too much badness for someone so young. And he was sure the three of them could use some goodness of their own. 

 

“Alright, short stuff,” he said as he patted Vogel’s head one more time, “”nuff a that. We gotta find a place for the night before it gets too dark.” He motioned toward Vogel’s forgotten backpack and Gripps picked it up and shouldered it with his own. Cross reached out for Martin’s duffle and he handed it over. 

 

As soon as his hands were free he swung his tiny brother up and onto his back like it was nothing. Vogel let out a whoop of delight as he settled comfortably against the warmth of his biggest brother. 

 

And as a family they wandered off into the chilly winter night, plans for how to make Christmas happen running through each of  their minds. 

  
  
  


The next few weeks were hard on the brothers. Blackwing was still out there looking for them so they couldn’t settle anywhere for more than a few days. Instead they spent their nights anywhere they could keep warm. A fire was built nearby if possible and Vogel was always in the middle of their huddle safe from the elements. 

 

And in the morning they would move on if they sensed anything in the area that was cause for concern. The stress of living like that was quickly wearing on them all. So in an effort to combat the cold and avoid capture, they headed south. 

 

It took them over a week to get to someplace warm enough that they didn’t have to expand so much energy on keeping warm through the night and that felt reasonably safe to stay put for more than a few days. But after a few days of searching, it was Cross who managed to find them an abandoned house on the outskirts of the town they were wandering through that would suit their needs. At least until after Christmas. 

 

After that one night Martin, Gripps and Cross had started working on a plan on how to make Christmas happen for their youngest brother. Step one had been finding a place to settle down for the holiday. And they’d done it but they sure had cut it close.  

 

There was only a few days before the holiday and the brothers still had a lot to do before then. 

 

Cross was in charge of finding anything that could be used to make the room they’d chosen to stay in as festive as possible. There’s no power in the house so that meant no lights but he’d find a way to make do. 

 

Gripps made it his mission to make the night as cozy as he could. So that meant tracking down as many blankets as humanly possible. And since all his memories of the season came with hot cocoa, he was hell bent to share that with his family on their first Christmas free from Blackwing.

 

Martin was put in charge of finding gifts for the kid. So while Gripps and Cross watched after Vogel, he went out and tried to find stuff that he would like and that could easily take with them. Which was sadly short list.  But in the end he was sure he’d gotten enough to make Vogel’s first Christmas with them special.

 

On Christmas Eve they took Vogel to see all the brightly lit houses since that was something the three of them had remembered doing as kids. They took turns letting him ride on their shoulders as they walked through the neighborhoods with the best lights. Gripps had procured a thermos somewhere and had filled it with hot cocoa that he’d made in the fire they’d built in the backyard of the house. 

 

For a few hours they could forget that they were on the run and just have good time. 

 

Once they got back to the house they put Vogel to bed in the nest of blankets Gripps had managed to get. The poor kids was tired after the excitement of the night he passed out right away. Which worked in the other’s favor. That gave them all night to set up for Christmas morning. And since the kid slept like the dead there was no chance he’d wake up during the night. 

 

In the morning the three of them were woken up by the body of a small ten year old boy jumping on them a yelling “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!”

 

Cross was the first one up and he saved Gripps and poot Martin, who always had a hell of a time waking up in the morning, from the energetic antics of the kid. He hoisted him up by the waist and carried him outside like a sack of potatoes. Vogel squirmed and complained.

 

But Cross just ignored him until they were outside. “Let’s give them a few more minutes, eh kid?” he said as he dropped him into the dirt. He was ready for it when Vogel tried to tackle him and since it was Christmas he rolled with it let him think he’d taken down his older brother. They wrestled until Martin showed up at the door and called them in.

 

Vogel was up and pushing past Martin in a flash, too excited for Christmas to wait. He’d woken up and hadn’t noticed the decorations in the room as he’s stumbled out to pee. But when he’d come back into the room they were sleeping in he noticed all work his brothers had done for him the night before. 

 

He’d started crying even though he had been trying to not do it as much since he wasn’t a kid anymore. But he’d been so happy he couldn’t help it. 

 

But he was fine now as he ran to the small pile of gifts that had been left in the corner. He managed to wait until the others were in the room before tearing into the brightly wrapped packages.

 

Gripps dropped down beside him as he finished unwrapping the first one. It was a small box that had a few toy cars. They might have seen better days but Vogel was more than happy to have them. It had been so long since he’d had anything of his own, let alone a toy. 

 

He sniffled, his emotions getting the better of him again.

 

“Hey kid,” Martin said as he knelt down and put his hand on Vogel’s shoulder. “It’s ok. You can cry. No shame in it when you’re happy.” he told him. If his voice was a little thick no one was going to say anything. 

 

Eyes a little moist, Cross sat down in front of the others adding “Yeah, no shame in it little guy.” as he settled. 

 

Vogel looked to Gripps for confirmation. In return he got a watery smile and a hug. That made the youngest Rowdy start crying in earnest.

 

Soon the emotion in the room was volatile enough that even the three rough looking men were crying as well. Everyone too happy to share the moment to keep their tears at bay. 

 

After a while the crying subsided and Vogel when on opening his gifts while his brother watched in amusement at his enthusiasm at even the simplest gift. When the last package was open and there was nothing left for him to open Vogel hopped up and ran into one of the other rooms. 

 

The others looked at each other in confusion. But the second Vogel walked back into the room with three packages of his own in his arms, they were gobsmacked. 

 

Somehow, at some point, he’d managed to get them gifts as well. They might not have been wrapped as nicely as theirs were but still. He carefully handed each package to his brothers, a huge smile on his face for having been able to surprise them. 

 

Cross, Gripps and Martin looked at each other before opening their gifts at the same time. 

 

Cross got a grey hoodie, Gripps a plaid flannel shirt and Martin got a cool belt with a stripe of red down the center. 

 

After a moment of silence Vogel asked carefully “Do ya like ‘um?”

 

He was pulled into a group hug instead of given an answer. The older brothers wrestled him away from one another to give the kid affection until they were just a mass of limbs rolling around laughing and howling in delight at being together and loved. 

 

They spent the rest of the day like that. As a family. And each Christmas after that they made sure to make new memories and traditions that fit their unique way of life and celebrated their Rowdy little family.

 

And when that family grew, they more than happy to share those traditions with the girls...

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. That First Christmas: Redux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amanda and The Beast spend there first Christmas as part of the Rowdy 3

Fifteenish years later…

 

When the first house was spotted with lights up, the Rowdy 3 started their holiday preparations. Of course none of them thought to let Amanda know so she was more than a little confused when she woke up to warbling Christmas songs instead of the bass heavy punk Martin like to play when he was up before anyone else. 

 

“What’s with the music?” she asked as soon as she was awake enough to process the change in routine and climb out of the van.

 

Martin handed her a beat up metal mug of black campfire coffee Gripps had brewed as she got out. He waited until she had taken a sip before he answered, “It’s Christmas.” He turned to the others and yelled, “Ain’t that right, boys!”

 

There was a collective cheer of “CHRISTMAS!” followed by yells and howls as they worked themselves up into a merry fervor. 

 

Amanda let them wind down as she sipped at her coffee. When MArtin looked at her, smile on his face, she cocked an eyebrow at him and said, “Didn’t think Christmas would be something you guys did.”

 

“Aw Drummer,” he replied “Even us freaks gotta celebrate Christmas.” He draped his arm over her shoulder and whispered “Every family’s got traditions, and this is ours. And now you and the Beast,” he gestured to where the rainbow haired woman was sitting with Cross as he messed with something, “you two are part of our family now. So we gotta teach you how  _ we _ do Christmas.”

 

She looked up at Martin, then over to where Gripps was pulling something bright and festive out of one of the trunks from the top of the van, Vogel was singing along with the Christmas carols playing on the stereo as he helped Gripps. Cross held up a string of shiny baubles for The Beast to see as she oh’ed and aw’ed. 

 

When she looked back up at Martin she smiled, “Ok, show me how  _ we  _ do Christmas.” In response he squeezed her shoulders and smiled at her before he leaned his forehead against hers. 

 

“Oh Drummer, this is gonna be fun.”

* * *

The first thing that happened was the van got decorated for the season. Cross seemed to be in charge of the inside of the van, which he was filling with a multitude of shiny things on strings. 

 

When Amanda asked why they didn’t use lights, he explained that when they first started they didn’t have the battery run lights you could get now a days. And it was a few years before they found the van and made it their traveling home. So they’d made do each year with anything shiny and colorful. And by the time more options had come along they were so attached to how they’d been doing it that they didn’t see a reason to change. 

 

A lot of the things they did for the holiday were like that. Leftovers from times when they had to make do but that defined their way of life.

 

Like the tape of random Christmas songs Martin played every day. It was old and worn out. There were sections that were distorted from repeated playing but it played all month long. It was almost enough to drive Amanda insane but watching Vogel try and teach the Beast the words was entertaining and more than a little endearing. 

 

Of course there was hot chocolate at night when they built their campfires. Gripps always made it and it was always amazing. He said it was family recipe and she took it to mean his family from before by the way his eyes got just a bit sad when he said it. She gave him a hug and kiss to cheek and he gave her a soft smile in return.

 

Once Martin brewed up a spiced cider that was pretty damn good. When she asked where he learned to make it he just smiled and shook his head. “Us magic drunk homeless guys gotta keep some of our secrets.” 

 

“Ugh,” she said as she shoved him playfully, careful not to push him into the fire he was squating by.  “I never should have told you about that,” she said into her mug of steaming cider.

 

He just laughed at that. 

 

One day Gripps and Vogel came back to the van carrying bags from one of the super stores in the town they were running around in. There were various packages of weatherproof lights that they could string around the van. So the lot of them spent the afternoon winding the lights around the roof rack and all the crap stored up there, the ladder and the grill until the van looked like Christmas had thrown up on it.  

 

“Well, no one was ever gonna say it was pretty before.” Amanda said when they were finished. “But the lights do add a nice touch.” 

 

The Beast, who was standing next to her, nodded in agreement. “Iz beetiful.” 

 

That night, instead of making camp, Martin drove them to one of the nicer neighborhoods in town and parked at the end of one brightly lit street. They all bundled up in their warmer jackets and coats as the temperature dropped. 

 

They spent the evening wandering around with the other groups of people, enjoying the lights and drinking the cocoa that Gripps had brought along in two beat up thermoses. Amanda took pictures on her phone of the others, but in particular Vogel running around with the Beast riding piggyback. 

 

“It's tradition, ya know.” Martin said in her ear as she laughed at their antics.

 

“What is?” she asked confused as she snapped one more picture. 

 

“Youngest rides on our backs as we look at the lights.” There was a devilish gleam in his eyes as he said it.

 

Amanda narrowed her eyes at him. “Yeah?”

 

He scratched at his throat in mock thought before replying, “The way I see it, you two are the youngest.” He smiled a wicked smile. “So you should be on someone’s back too.” He looked right at her, his eyes intense. 

 

Feeling mischievous, she tapped her phone on her chin as she ‘thought’. “I guess you’re right.” 

 

Martin smiled again and held out his hand, expecting her to take it. Instead she yelled, “Cross!” The man in question turned to look at her from where he was talking with Gripps. “Martin says I should get a piggyback ride too! You wanna do the honors?”

 

He looked over her shoulder at Martin before smiling a huge smile at her. He walked over and bowed deep. “I would be honored.” He held out his hand for her to take and this time she did. In a matter of seconds he’d bent down and she climbed on his back. When he stood she was safely seated, his hands under her knees and her arms around his neck.

 

They both turned to look at Martin who had a rueful smile on his face and his hands in his coat pockets. He shook his head in defeat and motioned them on. They whooped and ran off after Vogel and The Beast. Amanda looked back to make sure that Martin was okay, not wanting to actually hurt him. 

 

But when she caught sight of him there was no sadness or hurt in him. If anything he looked happy, a small smile in his face as he watched his strange little family together. When he looked at her, she blew him a kiss, which got her a smile all her own, and promised to herself that she’d let him give her a ride before the night was done.

 

But for the time being she was content to ride on Cross’s back and get the best view of the lights. 

 

As the night wore on she and the Beast took turns riding on the boy’s backs. All of them laughing and carrying on until the lights start shutting off for the night. By then Amanda was strangely exhausted and was almost falling asleep where she was resting against Martin’s back as he carried her to back to the van. 

 

“Martin,” she said sleepily. He grunted in response. She nuzzled into his neck and mumbled, “I like this tradition.”

 

He hummed in agreement. 

  
  


When Christmas Eve rolled around Martin, Gripps and Cross built a huge bonfire in the field they had chosen to spend the holiday in. The night was filled with music, beer, whisky, that they’d  _ found,  _ and Christmas stories. The stories were a weird mishmash of the classics that seemed tailored to the kid Amanda could tell Vogel would have been. But he had too much fun sharing them with the Beast, who had no frame of reference to know that the stories were not exactly right, for her to even think about correcting him.

 

By the time the fire started to die down she was dead on her feet and was sent to bed along with Vogel and The Beast. They three of them curled up in the nest of fleece-y blankets they’d set up earlier in the day. As she drifted off Amanda wandered what exactly the older three had up their sleeves. But those thoughts didn’t get very far before she was out. 

 

Morning came with banging on the roof of the van and Marin, Gripps and Cross hollering and howling in excitement. 

 

Amanda, who had been sleeping soundly, was not amused and made sure to punch the three of them as soon as she was out of the van. Vogel and The Beast, on the other hand, were up and out of the van in a flash, too excited for whatever the morning had in store. 

 

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she snapped at the older Rowdies but drew short when she noticed the three of them all wore Santa hats. Bit she quickly shook off her surprise and attacked.

 

It was Gripps that answered, ‘Don’t you want your presents?” as he avoided her fists.

 

“Yeah Drummer, we got you something nice.” Cross added as he hid behind Martin who took the full brunt of her attack since there was no where for him to go. 

 

“Easy, there Drummer.” He said as she took hold of her by the arms, keeping her from hitting him again. “You said you wanted to see how we celebrate Christmas and this is part of it. Now stop with the hitting and go open your gifts.” He turned her around and streered her to the remains of the bonfire.

 

There, Vogel and the Beast were already waiting, a handful of brightly wrapped gifts in front of them. There were a few more piles for the rest of them waiting as well.

 

“Boss! Come here.” Vogel called out to her, patting the ground by him and one of the piles of presents. Sighing, she walked over and sat down. Once she was seated the others settled down on the ground too. 

 

The second everyone was seated in their makeshift circle and silent signal was made and everyone started tearing into their gifts. Paper flew as it was shredded. There whoops and oohs as gifts were revealed. 

 

The presents ranged for the useful to the random. There were winter clothes they’d need if they stayed north, new weapons, random odds and ends that suited each of them and some interesting piece of nature, which Amanda figured were from the Beast. She got a really smooth chunk of wood that was strangely cool. 

 

She also got a pair of gloves, a couple bottles of highlighter colored nail polish and a belt with a couple loops that would hold her wand. Vogel gave her a drawing, which was actually really good, of her sitting in the van. When her eyes got a little watery at all the thoughtful gifts, he leaned over and told her, “It’s ok. You can cry. It’s ok if you’re happy.”

 

She laughed a bit but sniffed as she wiped at her eyes. “I’m okay. It's just, I didn’t think...Thank you.” She hugged him and soon she was caught up in a group hug. 

 

They spent the rest of the morning like that. Trying on new clothes, breaking stuff with new bats and crowbars. Giving each other hugs whenever emotions started to run high. But all in all it was the perfect Christmas. 

 

Amanda would call Todd and her parents at some point in the day. But she knew in her heart she was already with her real family. 


End file.
